Key Dates:

Foreign Entry Requirements

Citizens of the following countries must have a passport with a computer-readable bar code for entry into France: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. For these countries, a formal visa is not required for stays of up to 90 days. Citizens of the 27 member states of the European Union do not need a visa to enter France. Visitors, other than European Union state members, are advised to hold a return or onward ticket, documents for next destination and proof of financial means. The borderless region known as the Schengen area includes the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. All these countries issue a standard Schengen visa that has a multiple entry option that allows the holder to travel freely within the borders of all. South Africans must have a Schengen visa in addition to a valid passport.